AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION? TO KIDNAP A PRINCESS
by Corellian Maid
Summary: Han is given an assignment that he isn't sure he can pull off


Han Solo gripped the long wrench tighter and grimaced, with a pronounced grunt, as he finally broke loose the bolt on the shielding cover over the burned out running light. He wasn't worried about being heard as the makeshift docking bay was bustling with activity. So much noisy activity that he didn't hear the footsteps that were approaching.

"Hard at work, Captain?"

Han turned and, quickly recognizing General Rieekan, dropped the tool and gave a salute.

"At ease, Captain.

Han bent and retrieved the tool. "Just changing out some running lights on my ship."

Rieekan gave a nod. He liked Captain Solo.

"I just came out to talk to you. I have an…ah… 'assignment' for you." The General said,

looking around the bay, noting no one was close enough to hear what was being said.

"An assignment?" Han answered. "I'll come to your office."

"No…no…"Rieekan said. "We can't be overheard here and no one will know about this

assignment but you and myself."

"Sounds a little mysterious." Han said, wiping his hands on a work rag.

"Not mysterious. Just a little… unorthodox." Rieekan explained with a near smile.

"I'm listening."

"We've received some intel chatter that our temporary position has been located and there

will be a raid." Rieekan began. "We don't have time to evacuate equipment and personnel."

"We just got out of a battle." Han said placing hands on his hips. "I'll stay and fight."

"That's not what I want you to do."

"Then what is it?"

The General took a deep breath. "I want you to…. kidnap the Princess."

The Corellian stood dumbfounded… "What?!" At Rieekan's frown, Han lowered his voice and repeated.

"What? You want me to kidnap her?"

"With no time to evacuate everyone, you know she won't leave if everyone can't leave."

Han nodded. "Yeah, she's stubborn that way."

"So, to keep her safe she needs to be taken away from here. The fighters can handle the raid."

"I'll never get away with it. She knows me."

"Not if we change some things." Rieekan explained. "You'll not be in your regular deck clothes- you'll change everything… down to your boots. You'll have a different weapon. I'll give you a voice distorter to wear that will change your voice." Rieekan took a step forward, peering closely at Han's face. "How long will it take you to grow whiskers to cover that scar on your chin? Don't want her, by chance, to touch your face and discover your identity by that."

"About….a couple of days." Han blinked.

"You'll be in a different ship and won't take your Wookiee partner with you. He will remain here

and come after you when it is safe to return with the Princess. But, he won't know anything until I tell him to go get you. Now that we know about the raid, we can be prepared and not take the chance that someone else will try to kidnap her."

"How do I pull this off and when? I can't just go up to her and grab her."

Rieekan chuckled. "In this afternoon's briefing, I'll mention that you've been sent on a scouting mission to find a place for us to establish a permanent base. You'll be out of sight for those couple

days. I'll bring everything you need to change who you are. You will go to her room in the middle

of the base night, blindfold and take her. I'll make sure there are no guards around. There will be no com-link communication. And KEEP her blindfolded. There is only so much we can change so she won't know it's you."

Han nodded.

####

Walking softly down the corridor, Han found the eerie, echoing silence almost as disturbing as the sound of battle. Nearing Leia's room, he looked back down the shadowy, deserted hallway. He knew the route he would take to remove her from the base.

At her door, he listened for a moment, rubbing his whisker-stubbled chin with a gloved hand and

adjusted the mouth distorter that fit around his head. Pulling the blindfold from a pocket, he slowly opened the door. His heart lurched at seeing her sleeping form on the bed. He would give his life to protect her. Nearing the bed, he lowered the canvas covering quietly to the floor and stretched the blindfold between both hands. Then, with one swift movement, placed the blindfold over her sleep closed eyes.

Leia woke instantly, flailing her arms and opening her mouth to scream. Han quickly placed a cloth

in her mouth and tied it tight behind her head as he'd done the blindfold.

Leia wriggled….kicked… and tried to free herself from the strong arms that held her.

Her screams were muffled as Han, securing her arms at the wrist with one hand, slipped the canvas covering over her with the other, then, hoisted her body over his shoulder and quickly left the room.

The irate Princess moaned and bucked and twisted all down the hallway and Han was tempted to give a hard smack on her bottom to straighten her up…but he resisted.

####

Once inside the ship that Rieekan provided, Han plopped Leia down on to the navigator's chair. As he was slipping the canvass off her, Leia got in a good kick… right between Han's legs. Han gave a metallic 'oof' and slumped in pain against the wall.

Still tied and blindfolded, Leia jumped up from the chair and tottered from the cockpit.

{Oh, no you don't!} Han thought and went after her.

####

"There." Han's distorted voice proclaimed as he once again sat a squiggling Leia down in the

Navigators chair. He made quick work of securely tying her to the chair, then removed the gag.

"What do you think you're doing! Who are you!" Leia screamed, tugging at her bindings.

"Take this blindfold off me!"

Paying no attention, Han left the cockpit. Moments later he retuned with a cup of cool water.

"Drink this." His metallic voice ordered.

"No! It's probably poison!"

"It's water."

"Sure it is."

Han waited. A thought crossed Leia's mind. {If he was going to kill me he would have done it in my bed.}

"Alright. I'll drink it." Han held the cup to her mouth. She was grateful for the small consideration.

"Take this blindfold off!"

"It stays on.. same as the restraints." The metallic voice stated. Han sat in the pilot's chair and began the start up.

"Who are you! Where are you taking me! You'll be executed for this!"

"Quiet, or I'll put the gag back in ."

Breathing deeply, Leia calmed herself…{I have to keep my wits about me.}.

####

The flight was short and Leia had been quiet the whole time, but as soon as they were landed, she started in again.

"What do you plan to do with me? Sell me? Ravage me? Hold me for ransome?

Han made no comment, but left the cockpit. While he was gone, Leia twisted and turned, trying her best to escape from her restraints.

Returning, Han swiveled the pilot's chair to face where Leia sat. "Here, I have some food for you."

"Untie me!" She demanded.

"I'll feed you."

"You'll do no such thing!"

"Alright." The metallic voice stated. "Go hungry."

"Do you need to attend to personal needs? There's a lavatory down the hall."

Leia smiled. "So you'll untie me?"

"For just as long as you need to attend to business. And don't think about untying that blindfold.

When you are finished, back your way out the door….I'll be holding a blaster on you…and I'll

retie your arms."

"That's ridiculous!" Leia spat.

"Not if you want to live. I have no qualms about shooting a woman." The voice threatened her.

###

Leia knocked on the lavatory door and turned her back…still blindfolded. Han opened the door and caught her wrists in his hands. He winced inwardly at seeing the dark pink chafing on her flesh from the restraints as he tied her up again. Then he gave her a strong shove. "Move along."

Leia stumbled and nearly fell, but caught herself on the wall. He had to display some roughness to keep up the kidnapping ruse or Leia would become suspicious.

Back in the cockpit resettled and restrained in the chair, Leia began questioning her captor again. "Are you holding me for someone? Are you with the Empire?" She stopped, thinking…

"You couldn't be with the Empire as you wouldn't have gotten on our base….." A thought dawned on her. "You're one of us! How else could you have pulled this off? I'll see you court-martialed for this!"

Han kept watch out the cockpit window. It had been several space hours and he thought he'd have heard or seen something by now. He glanced at Leia…her head nodding. She was tired, but he had to give her credit, she was no whimpering, helpless female. Han left the cockpit and returned a few moments later with a flight jacket, tucking it around her shoulders, as she was clad only in the short sleeve nightgown she wore when he'd taken her.

#####

A shrill scream came from outside, waking Han, who'd been asleep in the pilot's chair. He gazed out the cockpit window and saw the _Falcon. _The raid was over and Chewie had come to get them.

{Thank goodness}.

Leia had been awakened by the noise as well. "What's that? What's going on?" Maybe the one

her captor had been waiting for was coming to get her."

"I'm going outside to check it out." The metallic voice informed her.

####

Once outside in the daylight, Han sprinted to his ship. This ordeal was finally over.

The silence was deafening..what was going on? Leia wondered. She couldn't move, couldn't see and couldn't image what fate was awaiting her. She sat in anticipation of what would happen next.

There were flashes of light inside the cockpit window and a volley of blaster fire. What ever was going to happen was happening now. Leia steeled herself and awaited the inevitable.

###

Han stood outside the ship's boarding ramp…he'd shaved and changed back into his own clothes in the _Falcon…_but he had to make this look good…With his blaster drawn he rushed up the ramp…

"Leia!"

Hearing her name called and the boot falls inside the ship, she responded. "Han, Han…I'm here."

The Corellian moved to the cockpit and quickly untied the blindfold and restraints. "Leia, are you

all right?"

She nodded, folding her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad it's you….."

"It's all over. You're safe. You'll never see him again." He said as he brushed back a strand of hair from her face. " Chewie is waiting in my ship….let's get back to base."

He helped Leia rise and held on to her as they exited the ship and headed for the _Falcon. _

As they walked, Han wondered what Leia would think if she ever found out he had been her 'captor' as well as her 'rescuer.'


End file.
